Sam Askew, Campus Carrier managing editor

The Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) franchise is a notorious one for many reasons. While people played the games and were jumpscared by the cute, cuddly and deadly animatronics, there was a narrative that was actively being unwound as the games progressed. In fact, it was this cryptic nature of the lore that drew in many new fans and captivated old ones, as well.

However, any FNAF fan will tell you that learning just what that narrative is is no easy task. The games are not very clear on the story that they are trying to tell and it is up to the players and the community to piece together the hints and easter eggs within the games to understand the story. With 8 games and countless books, where does one need to begin in order to fully grasp the in-depth lore of FNAF? One may be tempted to say the Game Theory YouTube channel, as Game Theory has been a notorious theorizer and often attributed as the figure that made the lore hunt so fun.

MatPat, the host of Game Theory, has an entire series where he delves into the small hints that FNAF games and books give us. However, if one wants to begin to understand the story, they should not start there. You see, MatPat got many things wrong as his videos went on because he was piecing together the story based on the games that were released as he was making videos. So, to begin there would ultimately confuse you more so than starting somewhere else.

Where, then, should one begin? Well, to begin with, there are a couple things to keep in mind.

First, when looking for a lore video on YouTube, find a recent one. Ideally, the best and most complete lore videos are posted within the last year or so. Secondly, make sure you understand whether a specific video is discussing the lore from the games or the lore from the books as they are different. Finally, be sure whether the video is a theory video or an explanation video. Watch explanation videos to grasp the story, then watch a theory video to draw your own conclusions.

I recommend beginning with Wendigoon’s helpful explanation of the FNAF lore even though it is a bit outdated. It still is a helpful introduction into the franchise, and if you want to explore more recent lore, find another video. Yes, I know I just said Wendigoon’s video was outdated, but I still think it is okay to begin with because the more recent lore is disputed, but most of the community agrees about the old lore up to this point.

Once you understand the lore, then, perhaps you could watch Game Theory’s playlist just for kicks and giggles. However, absolutely do not under any circumstances begin there. While entertaining, it will just confuse the viewer more.